Ravell-ing in the view from the top

This morning, I enjoyed a sumptuous continental breakfast courtesy of the hostel in the company of travellers from Holland and Michigan and got some tips on scaling the hills to Ravello, a village on top of the peaks, especially how to say "where is...?" (dove'di...). The lovely winding stairs beckoned from the edge of the plaza. "You get the best views if you take the steepest stairs..."





... and steeper stone stairs






... and even taller, rougher rock stairs





An hour and a half later (and 5 pounds lighter), I've scaled some 1500 steps through olive groves and crumbling alleys to the land of Escher. Here in Ravello, overlooking the aptly-named village of Scala, I can see fishers on the sea toward Mauori on one hand
... and the town of Amalfi on the other.
This is truly the land of M.C. Escher, with the familiar geometric architecture ...




... towers,

windows

and, of course, the stairs.

(See Escher's view of Ravello and more.)